Bestselling author Michael Murphy has been called the father of the human potential movement, one of the most influential movements in twentieth-century American culture. His bestselling book Golf in the Kingdom (1972) inspired the creation of the Shivas Irons Society, a nonprofit group dedicated to finding beauty and discovery through the game of golf, and has recently been adapted into a movie starring Malcolm McDowell (2010). His other books include Jacob Atabet (1977), An End to Ordinary History (1982), In the Zone (1995), and The Kingdom of Shivas Irons (1997). He lives in California.
Was once a high school English teacher.
Children: Maggie Murphy (born in 1989) and John Jack Branton Murphy.
First appeared in a Robert Altman production with an episode of the "Combat!" TV series. He subsequently appeared in many of the famed directors film hits: Countdown , MASH , Brewster McCloud , McCabe & Mrs. Miller , Nashville , The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial and Kansas City .
Hit his infamous cinematic peak as a philandering husband cheating on Jill Clayburgh in An Unmarried Woman and as Woody Allen s married pal having an affair with Woodys girlfriend Diane Keaton in Manhattan .
He is a graduate of the University of Arizona, Tucson.
In 1978, he played characters named Martin in two separate films: As Jill Clayburgh s adulterous husband in An Unmarried Woman and as Glenda Jackson s commitment-seeking boyfriend in The Class of Miss MacMichael .
Has appeared in more Robert Altman feature films and television productions than any other actor in movie history.
His character, "Sen. Judson Pilager", from John Sayles s Silver City , is a thinly-veiled, negative characterization of the first President George Bush.
Paul Thomas Anderson cast him as Alan Kligman, Esq. in Magnolia because he admired the actors work. Andersons casting choice of Murphy was also an homage to Robert Altman , who has cast the character actor prominently in a number of roles in his films and TV productions over the years. Henry Gibson , another Altman regular, also had a role in the film.
Appeared in the drama Talk to Me , in which he coincidentally co-starred with his fellow Strange Behavior actors Louise Fletcher and Dan Shor.
Has starred opposite his then-wife, actress Wendy Crewson , on the short-lived television show "Hard Copy" and the Emmy-winning HBO cable series "Tanner 88" , which Murphy had the lead in. They also appeared in the feature films Folks! and Sleeping Dogs Lie .
His father was Bearl Branton Murphy, a salesman. His mother was Georgia Arlyn Murphy (nee Money), a teacher.
Became close friends with co-star Woody Allen on the set of Martin Ritt s 1950s McCarthy era dramedy, The Front . Allen would subsequently cast Murphy as his best friend, Yale, in Allens own film, Manhattan .
Taught both high school English and drama in Los Angeles from 1962-1964.
Received teaching credentials from UCLA in Los Angeles, California.
He is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
He was awarded the 1975 Joseph Jefferson Award Citation for best actor in a principal role in a play for his performance in "Dreams" at the Playwrights Center in Chicago, Illinois.
(August 2004) Lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with his wife, actress Wendy Crewson , and their two children, Maggie Murphy and Jack Murphy.
(August 2004) Filming hit Canadian television show "This Is Wonderland" for CBC.
Michael Murphy is the only prominent male actor in Hollywood besides Tommy Lee Jones to have appeared in both a live-action DC movie, Batman Returns , and a live-action Marvel movie, X-Men: The Last Stand .
Brother-in-law of Avia Rosen and Ben Shani.
Father, with Orly Shani , of son Conor Murphy and daughter Blake Murphy.
Met wife, Orly Shani , in a New York bar where she was working.
Son-in-law of Desiree Shani.
Is the front man for local Taupo rock band Deadset.
(February 2006) Currently being managed by Rocky Stone and auditioning for films, TV shows and commercials.
